Here’s a piece of free advice: your old college roommate, now a billionaire in his 50s, invites you and a handful of other college pals, for a device -free weekend at his remote island.

DON’T ACCEPT

Will, Perry, Beau, Lainie, Stephen and Emma all accept their invitations which are cryptically number 1-6. They are transported to Link Village, billionaire Ryan Cloverhill’s “waterfront office complex,” in Washington state, and from there they take a ferry to Sham Rock, Cloverhill’s island. Apart from the numbered invitations, everything starts out as you would expect. No alarm bells yet.

Will and Perry are a married couple. Perry had a terrible bout of COVID which has left him with permanent scar tissue in his lungs, and Will is an insulin dependent diabetic. Lainie and Beau are a “luxury couple” “self-made celebrity Linkstreamers.” They have built an “online brand” and are extremely successful. Emma, a single parent, has history with Ryan, and Stephen is the dark horse of the group.

Ryan’s house, which he designed, is 6500 sq feet, “constructed of smooth concrete, with entire walls made of windows that capture the stunning 360 degree views.” When the guests arrive, Ryan “a middle-aged megabillionaire social media CEO” insists everyone turn over their devices. It very quickly becomes apparent that Ryan has an itinerary which begins to morph into an agenda. Ryan is the founder and the CEO of the world’s most popular social media platform, and then when he tells his guests to hand over your devices… well you know something is up. Is this about quality time or control? It’s not as though I have a love affair with my phone, but I would be done right there. …

After a first boozy night, the guests wake up to find Ryan gone, and the only way to communicate with him is via a tablet. The catch is that first they have to crack the code to access the tablet. At first it seems like a game (annoying, but still a game) but then Ryan’s agenda becomes clear. All I can say is that if this is how Ryan treats his friends … you don’t want to be on his enemy list.

Sean Doolittle’s Device Free Weekend is a techno-thriller. At first I thought the set-up was classic Agatha Christie but the subtext here is not murder but responsibility: the responsibility we have to ourselves, our friends and yes… the wider social responsibility. The characters never develop, and that is unfortunate as I am a character-driven reader. Also Ryan is annoying, out of touch with reality, and a dickhead. I didn’t buy his late-in-the-day concerns. Still this would make a good film in the right hands.

Review copy.

Six friends are invited by their wealthy college friend, Ryan Cloverhill, to his private island Sham Rock for a device free weekend. Ryan is the inventor of Link, a new social media giant (think Facebook) so there’s nothing he can’t do for his best friends. The Stillwater Seven as they call themselves hadn’t seen each other in years so the reunion was much needed. But, once they arrive, it quickly becomes apparent that a peaceful weekend getaway wasn’t exactly on the agenda. Ryan has a task for them and it really puts all of their trusts on the line. They quickly find out jsut how well they (don’t) know each other.

Ok so that’s such a vague synopsis but honestly I didn’t read too much going into and I ended up enjoying it much more. All I knew before going in was that a group of friends were going to be stuck on an island without a way to contact the outside world. That’s right up my alley!

I really enjoyed this book! It didn’t take me long to read it which is great because I was in a reading slump this whole month! It’s a new twist to the isolation/locked room thriller though. There’s no madman or monster picking people off one by one but that doesn’t mean they’re any safer. But it is still full of adrenaline, mystery, and twists and turns. Some parts you really had to suspend some disbelief but I guess that just means I can’t imagine being friends with a Mark Zuckerberg type and hanging out in his Bond villain-style island.

I really liked the characters and feel like their actions were more realistic than those in other thrillers. The writing was great and really flowed, some parts even hilarious, and some parts even emotional. I would definitely pick up another book from this author!

I think how much a reader enjoys this book might depend on what they were expecting going in. I thought I was in for one of those "old friends with grudges" kind of locked room mysteries but this isn't that. Saying what it is without giving too much away is hard as well. Instead, it is a nice twist on the idea of group dynamics and knowing your friends' strengths and weaknesses. It also feels very contemporary with the inclusion of the good and bad of social media and everyone's connectivity. The storyline is great and the character development is good, better in parts and not as deep in others. Once I got over this not being another variant on Then There Were None, I really enjoyed it.

Have you ever taken a weekend to go off grid and unplug? In Device Free Weekend, by Sean Doolittle, we see what can happen.

"A group of old friends head to a private island to reconnect with each other. The island belongs to their friend, Ryan Cloverhill, who's now a tech billionaire. His only requirement is that everyone disconnect from their electronics. They think they're headed for a relaxing weekend to have a good time - but Cloverhill has a different agenda."

Lots of action in this story from Doolittle, Often, when groups of adults head off for a weekend, it's "adults behaving badly" This story is not that - except for one especially psychopathic adult. And they always have their reasons why they are justified in blowing up the status quo.

Lots of commentary on the effects and consequences of social media, but it's never preachy.

This is more of an Action/Thriller. Don't be surprised to see it on Netflix in a couple of years.

Some fast-paced, entertaining fiction from Doolittle.

Glass Onion meets The Menu? I kind of hate for Doolittle that those movies came out before his book bc otherwise it would have been fairly original. This is definitely a fun, quick read of a thriller. I don’t know about you but if any of my friends make it big and buy their own island I don’t think I’ll be visiting any time in the near future 😂 I really enjoyed watching the descent into madness (or just unveiling of it) and how everyone reacted. A solid action thriller

An interesting premise that never quite clicked for me. The "friends" coming together for a reunion never seemed to be as close as they were supposed to be. The exploits of the protagonist were so fancifully, unrealistic that by the time I got to the end, I wasn't really invested in the outcome. This one wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy.

Six friends converge on their seventh friend’s private island for a reunion. Ryan collects all their electronics and my hacked went up. Soon they find themselves locked in and stranded. They are putty in a diabolical minded deviant’s hands.
I did get lost in some of the techy wording and usage but it was an interesting read and I had to keep reading to see how it all turned out.

This was not at all what I thought it was going to be but I enjoyed it. It was clever, unique and fast-paced. There is a bit of social commentary in this one which I tend to enjoy as it brings the real world in and makes you think about your habits. I enjoyed seeing how the dynamics of the group changed over time, even if their past wasn't fully discussed. I will be checking out more of Doolittle's work.

ʟᴇᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄᴇʟʟ ᴘʜᴏɴᴇs ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ 📵

A group of friends who haven’t seen each other reunite on a private island for the weekend. Their phones get taken immediately upon arrival. The guests think they are their to have a fun filled weekend. Their host has something else in mind.

I love books where the characters are trapped! This was so fun and hard to put down.


Would you be able to handle a device free weekend?

Device Free Weekend is available February 28, 2023.

Thank you netgalley and grand central publishing for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

So you might think this plot sounds familiar but trust me- Doolittle brings a fresh voice and vibe to the scenario of friends locked together in a struggle to survive. Six college friends of Ryan Cloverhill have come to his private island off the coast of Washington for a weekend reunion. They aren't bothered at first by the demand that they give up their devices but things swiftly go off the rails. Who will solve the puzzle and how will the group decide. No spoilers from me as this one unfolds in an unusual way. Know there is a bit of tech geeking but it's well explained and that you probably won't like all (or even any) of the characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A page turner.

3.5 stars. I normally love a vacation gone wrong story. The premise started promising: friends from college reunite after decades at the invitation of the eccentric billionaire of the group to come stay at his private island. While I did enjoy the book there is a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief needed to take in all the levels of crazy this story is.

"Transport yourselves, if you will, to a time before. A time when hashtags were pound symbols. When computer screens, for those lucky enough to possess their own, had nothing but words on them."

Sometimes we need to get away from everything. With technology at our fingertips, we are constantly connected and attuned in every moment to the rest of the world. While there is no denying that this technology has had its benefits, there's something to be said about the power of disconnecting. After the rush of the holiday season, I took a weeklong cruise. It was an opportunity for some forced relaxation, but the best byproduct of this trip was that my phone had no service on the open seas. I had no choice but to disconnect from everything. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to read the advanced copy of author Sean Doolitile's latest novel Device Free Weekend.

Six friends have been whisked away to the private island of their college buddy, a billionaire tech savant named Ryan Cloverhill. The group hasn't been together in decades, so they are eager to reconnect. There's only one catch to this all-expenses-paid retreat. Ryan has forbidden the use of any electronic devices on the island. At first, the friends are a bit taken aback by this request. Why would someone so involved in technology forbid it from his property? Soon, though, they are overcome by the conversation and seeing each other. They forget that all of their devices have been confiscated.

It isn't until the second day of their visit that things get strange. Ryan is nowhere to be found. Physically shut off from the rest of the world, the friends are at a loss as to what to do. Soon Ryan comes back into contact with the group in the form of covert electronics hidden all around the house. He's broadcasting from the basement of his yacht, and it seems he has some sort of game up his sleeve. The friends are at best annoyed, but they become even more fearful when they realize the horrifying extent of Ryan's scheme. They will have to make a decision, one in which no choice is good. Things are about to get very interesting.

It is easy to get swept away by Sean Doolittle's high-concept thriller. Device Free Weekend features a luxurious tropical setting, a strong set of main characters, and an intriguing mystery that is flawlessly set up. Doolittle has written a book that is pure escapism fun mixed with some real philosophical quandaries. As I read my copy of the book on a beautiful beach in Mexico, it was easy to imagine the place that these characters were visiting. This is the kind of book that hooks you from the very beginning and keeps the pages turning. The only problem with a gripping start is that the author has to maintain the momentum through to the very end. As much as I enjoyed reading it, I can't say that it flawlessly stuck the landing. Still, I'm not sure that really matters with this one. Device Free Weekend is a fun popcorn read that is both entertaining and smart. It isn't a perfect book, but it worked just fine as a solid beach read.

Device Free Weekend by Sean Doolittle is a highly recommended new take on a locked room thriller.

Seven friends who met three decades earlier in college are offered a Labor day get away on a private island near Puget Sound owned by one of them. Ryan Cloverhill, incredibly wealthy founder and CEO of a popular social media platform, has invited Stephen, Emma, Perry, Will, Beau, and Lainie for this special reunion, all expenses paid. The one stipulation is that they must surrender all their devices upon arrival. The first day is an enjoyable time of reminiscing and reconnecting. The second day is perplexing. Ryan is gone, as are their devices. Where their phones were left is a touchscreen tablet with its on-screen challenge: Unlock Me! The six friends must figure out what how to open it and Ryan wants them to do.

Locked room thrillers are always entertaining and that holds true for Device Free Weekend, once you set disbelief aside and go with the premise set forth. What Ryan planned is thwarted almost from the start, when two of the friends get locked out of the house and all six are needed fro any decision to be made. The decision Ryan wants his old friends to make has no good outcome. Stephan is the only fully realized character, but enough traits and information is presented on the others that they do present themselves as individuals. Basically, they have very different traits and you can tell them all apart.

The pages fly by as the action keeps the pace of the plot moving along. Even in the slower-paced sections, readers will know that the pace is going to pick up again soon. A case could be made that the motive for Ryan's actions could have been better developed, but as the narrative moves forward enough information is uncovered to handle this qualm. I enjoyed Device Free Weekend. It's not a perfect novel, but it is engaging and held my attention throughout.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

Oh my... what a complex story. I think I am a sucker for a book that takes place on a remote island. Why?? It's reminiscent of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie which I have always loved.

Where this book fell short for me, is that from the start, we know a lot of what's happening. Friends from college who have strayed apart over time are brought back together when their billionaire friend invites them to his remote island. Despite being decades beyond college, years of distance between them, life has happened for these folks, marriages, divorces, children, fame, and yet, they all agree to show up.

There is a technology element to this book that reminded me of a Killer's Game by Isabella Maldonado and the island aspect reminded me a lot of Never Coming Home by Kate M. Williams (YA Novel). This book fell short for me even though I enjoyed the action packed pages at the end of the book.

What I liked was seeing home their friendships transformed over the years. I also liked the complexity and depth to their friendships. It's rare to read a book that isn't YA content for these getaways or mid-twenties early thirties. With that being said, I felt like the characters were supposed to be in their late forties/ early fifties but acted like they were still college aged students quite frequently in the book.

The concept of this book was intriguing, but I felt like it dragged on far too long.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

The first half was great, the second half felt like it was written by someone else. I wish it had stayed the path of the first half instead of getting too techy.

The premise has me immediately hooked. Especially since I recently watched the movie The Glass Onion and loved it! I felt that it was going to have similar vibes and although it did, the execution didn’t meet the mark.

It starts off by introducing us to the Stillwater Seven, a group of friends who have known each other since college, but have lost touch. Ryan, the eccentric billionaire who owns his own island, invites his six friends to reconnect over the weekend; or so they thought that was the case.

The story started off pretty well. But it went south really fast. The main reason has to be the characters and how lackluster they were, even their introductions had me confused as to who was who. Doesn’t help that the book was also in third person with multiple pov which I felt made it difficult for the reader to become attach to a particular character. Because of that, I idn’t particularly like any of them and the dialog between characters was dull. So dull that when the “intense” scenes occurred, I was uninterested. And don’t ask me about the unnecessary two chapter explanations behind the reasoning for the “bad guys” actions. Because I became bored reallll quick.

All in all. This had potential but just wasn’t the right fit for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this digital copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this book the first half or so gave me great hope that this was going to be a fantastic book but it took a turn in the second half when things got to techy and the book became a bit boring and more of a chore to read im sorry I really did love the premise of the story though

Much thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC
All thoughts and opinions are my own

I thought the premise of this book sounded really interesting. A bit of a new take on the traditional locked room mystery.
However, I ended up not finishing the book right around the halfway point.
I really didn’t like the dialogue between the characters. It seemed like they all tried to talk like they were Ryan Reynolds. It all felt a bit like trying too hard to be funny. Like the characters should have been on a sitcom instead of in a thriller.
I also wasn’t a big fan of how technical and philosophical the book tried to be, it just didn’t seem to fit in with everything else that was going on.
I’m sure many others will enjoy this sort of philosophical thriller so to speak, but it wasn’t for me.

An absolutely perfect excuse to hide away from the world and disappear for a bit, Device Free Weekend consumed me from start to finish. The characters were reliable and likable while the plot was familiar with a few fun twists!